Coming Home
by SweetAsh
Summary: He stumbled down the dark street, slightly inebriated. A few shots with the Hokage had turned into a few bottles with an old friend.
1. The Return

"Happy Birthday…" she whispered to herself, wondering how she had lasted this long. Twenty years…she was twenty years old. The youngest of the Rookie Nine, no, the Rookie Seven, she corrected. There are only seven of us left. It had been eight years since Sasuke left. And five since Naruto followed. Naruto had promised to come back with Sasuke, smiled at her and told her not to worry, he would take care of everything and soon Team Seven would be restored. That might have been the only lie Naruto ever told.

She knew he had probably died trying to fulfill his promise to her. Maybe they had killed each other. Death was the only thing she could imagine keeping Naruto away from his beloved Kohona. The only thing keeping them both from her. Yet, a little part of her heart believed that it wasn't true…wasn't possible. Naruto couldn't be dead…he had so many things left to do. He was to be Hokage. He was to be the greatest one Kohona had ever seen. She believed in him. Even when the village he loved didn't. He had to be alive…because that little piece of her heart that wasn't broken yet would not withstand if he truly was gone forever.

There were a few who still clung to the hope that Naruto had not fallen to Sasuke, or Akatsuki, or Orochimaru…or any other enemy the shinobi might have. She was not alone in her belief in him. Jiraiya was especially adamant that Naruto was strong enough to face whatever difficulties he came across. He believed Naruto would return when he was ready and needed.

_You are needed, Naruto…_we need you. She didn't understand how he couldn't know how much his friends needed him. How much his village needed him. Things were looking dark for Kohona and Suna. The Sound had steadily grown stronger, despite the efforts of the two allied nations. War was brewing and when it came, she wasn't sure Kohona would be left standing. As Tsunade's protégé, she was privy to information most were not and it did not look promising. Kohona was strong and so was Suna, but in recent years their weaknesses had began to surface. She had never realized the effect Naruto had on others besides Team Seven. Maybe because she had been blinded by her jealousy toward Ino and her obsession with Sasuke. But Naruto really did change every one of the Rookie Nine, and even Neji, TenTen, and Lee. He was their morale and their cheerleader. He made them believe that the impossible wasn't beyond their capabilities. But if something could stop him, the unstoppable and unwavering Naruto Uzumaki…then what hope was there for those who he left behind.

These thoughts were never far from her mind and they often caused her to cry herself to sleep. Shinobi rule number twenty-five: a ninja never shows emotion. That was one rule she had never been able to follow. But she didn't have to, because she had a different way of the ninja…his way of the ninja. If he truly was gone, she would not allow what she had learned from him die.

She fell asleep, holding the picture of two twelve year old boys, glaring at each other, one twelve year old girl smiling, and one masked jounin looking in to the camera. It was all she had of her old team left and it was her most precious possession.

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They were some of the strongest Kohona had to offer…and they were failing miserably. Ten shinobi against one sannin…and they were no match for Orochimaru. The day had come, the war had started and Kohona was crumbling. Kiba dodged an attack, but was hit with the next one. He wasn't moving and Sakura raced to his side…she concentrated her chakra into her hand and healed his most serious wounds. Soon she would be no help at all. Soon Orochimaru would grow tried of this battle and they would be lost. Soon her friends would start dieing. Some scouts had gone to alert the Hokage and Jiraiya, but she feared they would be too late. Kiba was still heavily wounded, even with her assistance. Across from them was Ino, bleeding and fighting to get up. Could this really be the end?

"Hey you snake! Fight me!" Sakura's head turned toward the voice…the energetic, cocky voice…a voice that could only belong to one person. _Fight me…_

"Naruto?" his name caught in her throat and tears blurred her vision. Naruto…

"You were right, nii-chan, as usual. Kohona really did need us."

Her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe. That tone of indifference and cool calm… "Sasuke?"

No…it was impossible…but then, if anyone could pull off the impossible, it would be Naruto. She watched the fight, half in disbelief. There was her team. Her best friends. The two boys who changed her more then she would ever let either of them know. Naruto swept his arms down and two long swords appeared. Sasuke drew his sword. Orochimaru attacked. The two boys moved together as if they were performing a choreographed dance, anticipating the others move with no more then a look. Just as Orochimaru was about to land a blow on Naruto, he disappeared…and reappeared near Sasuke. The fight raged on…and on. Sasuke began to look more ragged and looked like he was about to run out of chakra. Naruto took out a kunai and sliced his palm, Sasuke did the same. "Brotherhood Regeneration Justu!" They shouted in unison. Suddenly all of Sasuke's wounds were gone and the appeared on Naruto.

"What kind of justu was that?" Neji asked quietly next to her, in awe. She watched them fight, unable to do anything else. Naruto moved so gracefully in battle, not at all the way he used to. He used be clumsy and reckless. Soon it became obvious the all three of the ninja fighting were growing tired. Naruto still seemed the most energetic, though. Some things never change. But this battle was obviously ending soon, that was obvious. The outcome wasn't as certain. That is until Naruto sliced Orochimaru's head off with one of his wind swords. It happened so fast, she did know it was over for a few seconds. Until the head slipped off of the snake sannin's body. And Naruto fell to the ground. Sasuke caught him, just before his head hit the stone ground.


	2. The Homecoming

His vision was blurred and the room was bright when he finally woke up. He quickly recognized the Kohona hospital; he had spent quite a bit of time her when he was younger. He was so careless then. He blinked a few time and quickly realized he was not alone. There were at least ten people in the room staring at him as if he weren't real.

He had known it was going to be awkward. However, this was the most uncomfortable he had ever been. He began to fidget, waiting for someone to say something. Everyone was staring at him…and not saying a word. He hated silence…

"Hey guys!" he smiled, hoping someone would, at the very least, respond. No one did.

He scanned each old friend, every face…they looked the same, yet different. There was Shikamaru, an ANBU with a mask slung on the top of his head. And Choji, still round and eating, next to Ino, who was gorgeous and brash with her hair even longer then before. There was Lee, TenTen, and Neji. Team Gai…they seemed the same, yet he noticed Neji's hand linked with TenTen's. Maybe Neji had stopped being such a bastard. Shino looked exactly the same, still stoic and unmoving, while Kiba was wrapped with bandages, his hair wilder then before…and the mischievous glint in his eyes gone. Hinata was behind him, and she was beautiful. Hinata had always been beautiful…in a strange, unusual way that he had never understood when he was younger. Her hair was longer and she stood taller…stronger then he remembered. Her unique lavender eyes caught his bright blue ones. Looking at her broke his heart. He hadn't meant to be gone from her this long. He looked away first…finally seeing his pink haired teammate…Sakura. She looked older…tired. Broken. He had done that to her. He and Sasuke. She looked like she had cried recently.

He hadn't meant to stay away for so long…that hadn't been the plan. Five years was too long, he had missed Kohona. He had missed the training grounds and the Hokage Monument and the ramen shop. Even his little tiny apartment.

But most of all, he missed these people. His friends…his family. His precious people. They were what he lived for. They were what drove him. Without them he would be an angry demon child. He smiled, so happy to see them again. Jiraiya had kept him up to date with the goings on in Kohona, but it was never enough. Ever piece of information he receive made him want more. Gave him a thousand questions. Made him yearn to see them. Now here they were, looking at him as if he would disappear if they made any movement or uttered a word.

"Ok, come on now, guys. Say something! Please?" He was starting to get nervous. Maybe they wouldn't forgive him for being away for so long. He rubbed the back of his head and smiled, pleading silently for someone to say anything.

"Are you really here?" Sakura choked out, holding his eyes with hers.

"I finally get someone to talk to me and that's the first question you ask? Of course I am, though I would rather be somewhere other then the damn hospital. Why do I always end up here?"

"Because you're a dobe?" Sasuke asked, entering the room with Tsunade and Jiraiya. His presence was treated the same as Naruto's. Everyone silently stared at him.

"You teme…are you handcuffed?" He laughed as he noticed Sasuke's hands cuffed together in front of him.

"Apparently I am a threat to your safety and a flight risk." Naruto laughed harder at this.

"Seriously?" He looked at Tsunade, who nodded.

"He's technically a dangerous missing-nin and has tried to kill you…twice," she said, looking apologetically at Sasuke. She knew the truth of his defection, but the council did not and would probably not believe it if they did. All she could do was fight for the lightest sentence.

"Do you wanna kill me, nii-chan?" Naruto asked, flicking Sasuke's nose and laughing harder than Sasuke had seen him laugh in a long time.

"Eventually, these cuffs will come off. And I know where you live." But he smirked as he talked to Naruto. It was so good to see him happy.

"Sorry, everyone, but you are going to have to leave," Tsunade told the young ninja. With one last look at their estranged friends, they walked out of the white room. He was glad they left, but the awkward energy seemed to stay. Tsunade stared at him just as his friends had. As if he were about to disappear if she blinked. She didn't look at him like a Hokage, but as a mother. As if he had run from her…as if it were her fault.

It wasn't. It wasn't anyone's fault but his own. He had chosen this path, he had made this plan. He and Sasuke left Kohona together…even if Sasuke physically left years before Naruto. They had achieved their goal, Orochimaru was dead. And now they had consequences to face. He had known this day would come…but there was no way to prepare. All they could do was hope for forgiveness and leniency, but knew they didn't deserve it. But maybe their friends would be able to see it was necessary. That there was no other way to end this war.

"I don't know whether to kill you or hug you," she whispered to him, tears shining in her brown eyes. That stabbed him in the heart. She was the closes thing he would ever have to a mother, and she loved him. And he hurt her. He hurt her. Hurt her…enough for her to cry. Not many people had ever cried for him.

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, looking down at his hands. They were twisting the white sheet. He couldn't look at them because tears were forming in his eyes too. He did not cry, especially not in front of Sasuke and Jiraiya. He jolted when she threw her arms around him, tears falling on his shoulder. "I am really sorry. Please stop crying obaa-chan. I'm sorry."

"I am so happy you are here. You really are ok? Jiraiya said you'd be fine on your own, but I was worried. You're ok, though. You're fine, right?" She looked him over, spending extra time on his face.

"I'm fine. I promise! And a man never takes back his words," he smiled gentle at her. "Besides, I wasn't alone, I had Sasuke-teme." Tsunade eyed the dark haired boy. He had left shortly after she came back to Kohona and she did not know him well. In fact, all she knew was that he defected to follow Orochimaru and almost killed her Naruto. Twice. So she wasn't so trusting of the Uchiha. Naruto knew she was slightly prejudiced against his best friend. Her experiences with Sasuke hadn't been good at all. However, he knew she trusted him and his opinion of people. And Sasuke was his brother.

"Look at you, kid. You really have grown." Her eyes looked into his and she smiled. He had grown. He was taller and more muscular. He had even more stamina and chakra control. His Justus were more numerous and powerful. And he was slightly calmer and more relaxed.

The door flew open and yet another familiar face entered the room. "It's true. I heard the kids talking, but I wasn't sure if it was true. You're back!" Iruka gasped, obviously winded from running all the way to the hospital. Unlike the others, Iruka left no time for awkward silence. He lunged at Naruto, hugging harder than Tsunade had, which he hadn't believed was possible. "Where have you been? Are you ok? You were gone so long, Naruto. You had me so worried!"

"Sorry, Iruka!"

"Five years is along time. You could have a least contacted me once or twice." He looked at his old teacher. He looked older, but still had that soft look in his warm eyes. No matter what he had done when he was younger, Iruka always had that look, even when he was trying to reprimand Naruto. Naruto hugged him again.

"I didn't want certain enemies to be able to track me. I am sorry. Really. I know, I'll treat you to ramen and then we can catch up!"

"You'll treat me? I don't think you've ever said that before." Iruka looked at his former student. He still looked younger then he really was, but was obviously not twelve anymore. He had grown up so handsomely.

"Well, I figure I owe you since you always picked up the tab when I was a genin," he smiled, growing hungry at the thought of ramen.

"Well, technically, you are still a genin, Naruto," Jiraiya interrupted.

"Shut up Ero-sennin! You are ruining my homecoming!"


	3. The Others

The silence didn't end when they left the hospital room. It followed them as the walked to the training grounds. Each was so trapped in their own thoughts, coming up with their own reasons for Naruto's defection. They hadn't known where they were walking to until they got there. They had been following Sakura and she had lead them to the old Team Seven training grounds.

She sat in front of the middle pole, "On our first day of training, Naruto got tied to this pole by Kakashi, because he tried to steal Kakashi's lunch." The others smirked and giggled a little, Naruto would do something that stupid. "I thought he was an idiot then, just like everyone else, I guess." She smiled sadly, lost in the memories this area offered her.

"Why are we talking like he's dead? He's not," Kiba stated. "He's fine and now he's home. No more reminceing about how Naruto changed our lives! Now we get to make new memories." He looked at everyone. They knew he was right. Each one of them had spent time in the last five years to think of Naruto, to miss Naruto, to wonder what happen to him. And now that time was over.

"Right. He's home," Sakura agreed. "They both are."

"We should give them the benefit of the doubt. Let them explain before we jump to any conclusions," Shino stated. Sakura nodded in agreement. They probably had a great excuse. An amazing one.

"It looks like rain, perhaps we should head home. Tomorrow will be…interesting. We should rest up," Neji spoke firmly. The others walk in separate directions, each headed home. Sakura sighed. She was startled when she realized Hinata was still there next to her.

"Hinata?" She knew the look in those pale eyes. It was the same one she had. Sadness and a hit of betrayal.

"We went out. On a date," she whispered, looking down, away from Sakura.

"Who?"

"Naruto and I. We went out. A few times…a few months before he left." Hinata didn't move. She looked at the same spot on the ground.

"He never mentioned…"

"We weren't telling people. We didn't want my father to find out. But we were together. We were…we were in love." With this revelation, she peered at Sakura.

"It's hard to picture Naruto in love," Sakura smiled, "But I bet he would be good at it." He was affectionate and attentive. He would be a good boyfriend…husband…father. He would be a good man. He probably was a good man.

"He was. He was a great boyfriend. Before he disappeared for five years."

"You loved him for so long, you waited 3 years before. Did you wait another five?" Sakura asked. The rain had begun to fall gently.

"I don't know. I don't know if he is the same person. I don't know if I am the same person." Sakura knew that uncertainty. She had felt that uncertainty for many long years.

"I know what you mean."

"Are you still waiting for Sasuke?"

"Maybe." The rain fell harder.

"We should head back. Before we catch cold." Hinata was glad it was raining. It hid her tears.

"We probably shouldn't still be waiting. They broke our hearts," Sakura said, and Hinata knew she was crying too. At least someone could understand.

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She should have gone home. But it had been so long. She just wanted to check. To make sure he was still there, in that white room, in Kohona. He was. So was Sasuke. It was late and she thought they would be sleeping. Luckily she heard their voices first, so she remained in the hall, unnoticed and listened to her teammates. She heard Sasuke first.

"Tsunade said you could leave tomorrow as long as you behave. Though, if I were you I would probably choose to stay away from all the eyes."

"They're more interested in you than me, I'm sure. You are the last Uchiha heir after all. Me, I'm just the boy with the demon. Actually, you would think that would make me way more interesting than you." She heard Sasuke laugh. It was a very foreign sound. She wasn't sure he had ever laughed before.

"You will always be more interesting than me, nii-chan. Thankfully." Nii-chan. That was the second time she heard him call Naruto that. They had grown so close. Where did that leave her? They were brothers…what was she?

"You really are boring. Someday the pretty girls will realize that…and then turn their unwanted attention to me."

"Please, you haven't shown any girl any attention. You are too caught up in the past…preoccupied with a quiet little heiress that probably hates you."

"Shut up, teme!" That was loud, but not angry…it was more pained. As if he knew it was true. But prayed it wasn't.

"Sorry. But it could be the truth, nii-chan. Maybe she moved on. Five years is such a long time."

"We'll face tomorrow when it comes. We should find Sakura first. We owe her a lot. She deserves some type of explaination."

"And an apology."

"Tomorrow is going to suck, huh?"

"Probably."

"At least obaa-chan let you stay."

"You are a grown up now, Naruto. Maybe you should call her Hokage."

Naruto laughed. "That will never happen. I gotta keep all the power from going to her head!"

"You should get some sleep. You are looking a bit peaked." Sasuke's concern was evident in his voice. He really did treat Naruto like a younger brother, even if it was only by a few months.

"Stop. This isn't your fault. At all. So stop it, already!"

"It was that jutsu. It wasn't ready to be put in battle. It drained you."

"No, it was me. We hadn't slept in a day in half and I was wasting chakra, like usual."

"Just get some sleep. You'll need to be rested tomorrow. Who knows what Sakura will do to use tomorrow."

"We deserve it." Naruto yawned and she could tell he was falling asleep.

"Yeah, we do."


	4. The Reunification

Sakura was easy to find. Training Ground Seven. She sat in front of the three wooden stumps, facing them. She looked up at them and smiled warmly. "You know, I had almost given up on ever training here with Team Seven again."

"We had a lot of fun here," Naruto looked around, smiling with nostalgia.

"Like Naruto getting poked in the ass by Kakashi?" Sasuke laughed hard. He laughed even harder when he caught Naruto's insulted and annoyed look. Sakura smiled deeper, basking in the laughter and presence of her teammates. This was worth waiting eight years for. Sasuke was so different…so happy. Naruto didn't seem to have changed so drastically, but that was fine with her. She loved Naruto the way he had always been.

"Hey you teme—"

"Or when he was tied to the stump?" Sakura chimed in, laughing with Sasuke.

"Not you, too, Sakura! Please don't encourage him," Naruto plead, a smile crept on to his face. "This was where we became one. A single team, not three separate ninja. That was the best day of my life. It was nice to know that, no matter what, I would never be completely alone again."

"You left me behind." That was the thought that had plagued Sakura. Hadn't she been part of the team? Hadn't she been their friend?

"No. You were needed here. You were doing great things, Sakura." Naruto denied her accusation. He moved in front of her and wiped her eyes. "You have become so strong. An amazing medic-nin. I was not going to ask you to give it, to risk your dreams."

"I was part of Team Seven, too! It should have been my choice!" Her tears came harder, she was feeling somewhere between anger and relief.

"You are right. We were trying to protect you." Sasuke admitted.

"Protection? From Orochimaru? I could helped you." She was a ninja. She could have been some help.

"No, from us. We were protecting you from us." Naruto whispered, sounding ashamed and sad.

"We weren't exactly stable. I had the cursed seal and Naruto had his seal. Using them we the only way to win and having someone else around would have been reckless. Neither of us wanted to hurt you." Silence fell over the three, something Naruto had had enough of the past few days.

"I am not weak. You could have at least told me…you just left Naruto. You just left and I didn't know where you went or if you were ok. You could have been dead! And I would have never known."

"Come on…nothing can kill me, I'm practically invincible!" Naruto smiled, and spoke in that convincing way he had. But Sakura remembered. She remembered when he came back from the failed Sasuke retrieval mission. She remembered his arm wrapped up after he performed that justu he had been creating.

"You aren't invincible…no one is." Naruto looked at her and sat down, leaning his back against the middle stump. His stump. Sakura and Sasuke followed his lead and sat on either side of him.

"Would you have let me go? Would you have waved goodbye and told me to be careful?" He looked at his feet, not at her. "You would have begged me not to go. You would have asked to come. You would have cried…and I would have stayed."

She remained silent, knowing he was right. So an uncomfortable silence set in, something Naruto had had enough of. He hated the quiet!

"Let's get ramen! I haven't had good ramen in years!" Naruto offered her a hand up, and she took it, laughing at her old friends antics. Ramen was something she hadn't had in five years. She never ate it unless Naruto had dragged her there. Sakura knew it wasn't like old times and issues were still lingering, but she let it slide tonight. She just enjoyed her teammates. They cut through the other training grounds, it took longer to reach the ramen stand, but it let them talk privately a bit. And this time there was no silences or tears, just laughter. Until they reached Training Area Eight. And Naruto stopped walking. He was staring at the dark haired girl training…Hinata. "Hina?" he spoke so quietly, she wasn't sure he had said anything.

Hinata had frozen the second that Team Seven entered her training field, her back facing them. She was not ready for this. She was not prepared to see him yet. Slowly she turned around to face them, her eyes locked on him.

"Well, Sasuke, let's go on ahead. I'm starving!" Sakura said loudly, pulling Sasuke with her as she tried to leave as fast as she could. Sasuke stole a glance at Naruto, but he didn't move his eyes off of Hinata.


	5. The Promise

The tension of the unspoken words forced her to look away, reverting her to the age of twelve. She stared at her feet. He took a few steps forward, moving closer to her. He was now just an arms length away. She felt an uncertainty she hadn't experienced since she was much younger. It was as if they had never been…as if he was still simply the boy she liked and she was a weird, shy girl. But he wasn't, no, now he was the man who had broken her heart once and she was the woman who loved him still.

He spoke so softly, as if he were as nervous as she was. Maybe he was. "Do you hate me, Hina?" Hina…he was the only one who had ever called her that. She had missed that name, his voice calling her. She shook her head, of course she didn't hate him. She would probably never not love him. But that did not mean she could forgive him.

He moved even closer, so close that she could feel his breath, but they remained not touching. "Promise me, Hina? Promise you don't hate me?" he whispered in her ear. She nodded. He tilted her head up with his hands in either side of her face. His touch was welcomed and it warmed her body. It was amazing that he could still do that, even after five years of absence. He forced her to look into his beautiful eyes.

"I never meant to be away from you this long, Hina. I promise," he looked at her and she knew he wasn't lying. Promise was a word that Naruto did not use unless he meant it. She searched his eyes and saw the faintest glimmer of fear.

"That doesn't mean it we can pretend it didn't happen. Five years is a long time, are you even the same person? Am I?" She looked away, unable to stare at him any longer. He always made her weak. He kissed her, desperately. Just in case she said no. At least he got one last kiss. She kissed him back, heatedly. Five years of emotion and passion and pain flowed into the kiss. She pushed him back. No, it couldn't be that easy. He needed to know that it was not that easy to get everything back. To get her back.

"You can't do this! You can't just assume that I spent five years waiting for you. You can't…" she trailed of, her words choked by the tears she was trying not to cry. He hugged her tightly.

"I never meant for you to be hurt. Please…" he pleaded in her ear. "Please."

She almost gave in. She pulled back and looking into his incredible eyes, "I don't know if it's that simple."

"Nothing worth having is simple, Hina. Nothing simple is worth waiting for. Nothing simple is worth fighting for." He stroked her cheek and brushed his thumb over her lips.

"You broke my heart."

"I broke mine, too."

"How can I trust you with it again? How can I be sure you'll be around tomorrow?" Naruto sighed. He knew it was true, but it hurt to hear. The one he loved was in pain and it was his fault.

"I'll prove it to you." He whispered. She looked at him shocked, a sad, unsure smile floated across her lips. He kisses her chastely one last time and slowly walked away from her. She watched his back until she could no longer see it, then ran home.


	6. The Regrets

Tsunade downed yet another shot of sake. She sighed, questioning her actions yet again. Had she done the right thing? What was she going to tell everyone? How would she explain herself to the council? At the time, she knew it was dangerous. That it was beyond dangerous, but she had done it anyway. It was drastic and reckless, but she really saw no other way to stop Orochimaru and protect Kohona from Akatsuki. And to protect Naruto. It hadn't really protected him. Not at all. So many times he almost died…twice nby the hand of the Uchiha. There was a big part of her that wanted to forget that he wasn't actually a traitor; part of her wanted to see him punished. But he had done what he was ordered to do…and then some. She regretted sending him the moment she had heard Neji and Choji might not survive. She had underestimated just how badly Orochimaru wanted Sasuke. The second she saw Naruto's limp motionless body carried into the hospital by a visibly shaken Kakashi, she regretted it. She remembered hearing him whispering to Naruto's unconscious form, saying "I'm sorry I was late…"

They had taken it too far, their little charade. There was no need for pretend. It went just as scripted…only Naruto really was injured. He really was in need of medical attention. She had never been fond of the Uchiha, but that had pushed her over the edge. She didn't trust him…but he was the only ninja for the job. And Naruto believed in him. So she did, too. If there was one thing that brat excelled at, it was making people believe in the impossible. She took another swig of sake, straight from the bottle this time, not bothering to pour it out into her cup.

There was a soft knock at the door of her office. The door opened before she responded, revealing Naruto. She looked over the blonde with worried eyes. And poured him a shot. He smiled at her and took it, downing it. "What's wrong, obaa-chan? What has you so worried?"

She returned the smile, hers much less convincing. "You've gotten so big…" she replied wistfully. For a moment, in her alcohol induced haze, she could almost see the boy he once was…

"That is not what's bothering you. Tell me."

"Was I right? Sending Sasuke off to that bastard? Sending you away?" Her eyes pleaded with the boy…no, man…in front of her. Pleaded for him to validate her choices and actions. To tell her he was fine.

"We would have gone anyway. Hell, it was our idea! Nothing would have kept us from this path. You just allowed us to come home again when it finally lead us back." He poured them both another shot.

"When did you become so calm?" She accepted the cup handed to her.

"I think it comes with experience. Besides, I'm dead tired. No energy to be rambunctious."

"You made it back ok?" Naruto knew what she meant and it had nothing to do with the physical scars he had acquired over the years.

"We are pretty much in tacked."

"I don't care how he is. I don't like him." She scowled, thinking of his teammate.

"I know. You should give him a chance. He's less of a bastard once you get to know him. He is still a bastard though…just not as much." She didn't respond. "For me? Give him a chance because he's my best friend and my brother?"

"Fine. But only one…he better not screw it up or he'll be doing D-ranked missions until you become Hokage." He laughed at her.


	7. The Night

He stumbled down the dark street, slightly inebriated. A few shots with the Hokage had turned into a few bottles with an old friend. He tried to catch his balance while desperately attempting to remember where the Uchiha Manor was. That's where he was staying until he could find a cheap yet livable apartment. Apparently, five years was too long for his former landlord to wait. Not that Naruto could blame him…five years was too long in his opinion.

He knew Sasuke would be up, waiting for him. Their friends would never believe what a mother hen he was. And sometimes…most of the time, it drove Naruto crazy. He had always taken care of himself…he was not used to having to answer to someone. And he didn't really like it, especially now that he was well past the age of being capable of taking care of himself. Sasuke would not be pleased Naruto had been drinking either. As much as he loved Sasuke…he could be such a wet blanket. The minute the front door swung open, he knew he was right. There was Sasuke, alert and waiting.

He didn't say anything at first. Sasuke looked tired. He was one of those early to bed, early to rise people. Late nights were not his thing. And unfortunately for him they were Naruto's. "Isn't past your bedtime, nii chan?" Naruto said as he pushed past him.

Sauske noticed the stench of sake immediately. "Drinking with the Hokage?"

"Yes. We were catching up." Naruto curled up on the couch, yawning.

"She's a bad influence on you."

"She's the Hokage!" Naruto laughed.

"You're not sleeping on the couch. Come on, I have a room made up for you." Sasuke led him down the hall into the room across from his.

"Are you ok with me staying here? I know how much this house means to you."

"It's been a mausoleum for too long, it needs some life. And if anyone can bring it back to life, it's you, nii chan." Sasuke smiled as Naruto curled up to sleep. It looked very much like a fox.

"Night, Sasuke."

"Goodnight."

"I told you coming home would be good. I'm so happy we've come back…" Naruto's words trailed off as he fell asleep. Sasuke smiled. Coming back to Kohona was worth everything if it made Naruto happy. He deserved some happiness…


End file.
